Patch 1.7.0's Cold Snap isn't just "new weather," it's a mechanic that'll wipe you faster than a bad push, and if you're already short on supplies you'll feel it even more when you're scrambling for ARC Raiders Coins between runs. That blue snow meter isn't decoration either. You get a brief window where it creeps up and you can still play normally, then it hits the point where your health starts ticking down, and if you keep pretending it's fine you'll drop before you've even found a clean fight.
Read Shelter Like a Map
People keep dying because they assume "roof equals safe." It doesn't. Some awnings look perfect and still let the cold build. The only real test is your HUD: if the bar keeps filling, you're not covered, simple as that. When you're forced to cross open ground, you've got to think ahead. Pick the next warm spot before you move. And yeah, there's a dirty trick that works in a pinch: pop a Molotov or even a grenade at your feet to reset warmth. Sounds unhinged, but a bit of burn is better than watching your HP melt away while you're stuck in whiteout.
Loot Priorities Changed Overnight
You'll notice it fast: meds are still useful, but cold resets are king. Candleberries are the big one, those glowing red bushes you'll see around the Dam river edges and near the Spaceport vent areas. One berry can patch you up and kick your cold meter back, which is huge when you're trying to keep momentum. In squads, we started treating them like ammo. One player farms, stacks them high, and we pass them around mid-raid so nobody gets caught with nothing but bandages and optimism.
Fights Are Closer and Dirtier
Blizzards murder long-range play. Scopes feel like a joke when the visibility tanks, so the meta shifts toward SMGs and shotguns, fast peeks, quick bursts, get out. The snow also snitches. Footprints hang around for a couple minutes, which means you can stalk someone without ever seeing them—just follow the trail, crouch when you're close, and listen. And watch the ice. Frozen lakes turn movement into a slide, and sliding in a straight line is basically volunteering to get beamed by anyone holding an angle.
Keep the Grind From Owning You
The harsh part is how punishing the loop gets when you're learning. Cold deaths feel stupid, and those skill tree resets aren't cheap when you're experimenting. If you'd rather spend your time actually raiding than scraping together resources, some players just top up and buy Raider Tokens so they can rebuild kits fast and stay in the action instead of doing recovery chores all night.
